The June 3 victory of Democratic Party of Korea (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung provides South Korea with an opportunity to turn the page on six months of political dysfunction.
At its core, the election was a referendum on former President Yoon Suk Yeol as well as the People Power Party (PPP), a segment of which tried to justify Yoon’s failed attempt at martial law last December.
While foreign policy issues played only a small role during the snap election, the emergence of a new South Korean government has the potential to impact the US-South Korea alliance in a number of ways. Although the alliance will certainly remain intact, Washington and Seoul won’t be as in sync as they were during Yoon’s tenure.
Author
Events on Asia
